The Loss (Heartache series #1)

by Green, Vicki

  “NOOOOOOO!”

  The sound is off in the distance. My head snaps up, my eyes straight to the path through the trees. The pond. Our oasis. I take off running, my shoes sliding on the gravel, and I make a beeline for the rocky path. As I run, I fall, skinning my bad knee, but jump up and move on. I swat the brush, feeling nicks along the way on my skin. “AHHHHH!” Her voice sounding closer but not close enough. I fall again, biting my lip when a rock embeds into my leg. Squatting down, I pull it out, blood already forming. I get back up and continue, my bad knee starting to ache. By the time I get to the clearing, I’m panting and sweaty. My eyes zone right to them. Bill is down on one knee, holding Alena’s head under the water in the pond. She’s squirming and trying to push him away so at least I know she’s still alive.

  “LET HER GO, ASSHOLE!”

  His head turns to me, releases his hold on her head and stands. She coughs and slowly stands up and turns my way. I start to jog over but stop still when his arm raises, his hand holding a gun pointed directly at me. “That’s far enough, maggot.” I bring my hands up, my heart beating so fast I can feel it in my chest. “You thought you could take her from me? You think she loves you?” Then he laughs, loudly. Sick fuck. I start inching my way towards them as he continues, “She doesn’t love you. You are just a memory. A memory she tried to forget. Do you know who was there to pick up the pieces? Me! So many nights I held her while she cried herself to sleep. So many times I was there for her to give her strength. MY STRENGTH!” I stop when he jerks the gun. “You destroyed her and I was there to help her recover. So you see?” He looks over at Alena, who’s breathing heavily from almost being drowned and laughs. “She doesn’t love you. She’s well over you.

  Dread and remorse fill me. I had no idea what I’d done to her. Alena’s eyes turn to me, pleading, as she slightly shakes her head. I look at him, watching him look at her and then back into her eyes. I nod and motion to the waterfall with my eyes. She starts to shake her head when asshole starts talking again, turning my way. “I guess this is the end of the line for you, maggot. You see, there’s no room for you in her life anymore.” I shift my eyes to her, watching her take a step back, towards the pond, and then look back at him. “She’s with me now. We’re engaged, you know.” He starts to look at her again, and I take a step forward.

  “That’s great only, she doesn’t want you.” I hear a click on the gun as he jerks it at me again.

  “Stop! Don’t move any closer,” he yells.

  “But it’s true. She doesn’t want you. It’s time you let her go. Time we both do. Let her be her, be happy and live her own life.”

  “NO!” He screams, the gun shaking in his hand.

  I look at her again quickly. She’s close to the edge. His eyes shift and his hand holding the gun moves quickly to her. “BILL!” I scream, trying to get his attention again. She looks at me and smiles, then turns quickly and dives into the water but a shot sounds at the same time, and I start running at him, full force. Water splashes as I get near, tackling him to the ground. The gun falls from his hand at impact, and we struggle. I get in some good shots to his face with my fist, then he pushes me off, and we roll on the grass. I cringe a few times when he connects his fist with my eye. The feeling of wetness around it and the sharp sting of pain as I feel his ring cut into me. He jumps off me, searching for the gun in the tall grass. The sun is beating down, and I see a glimmer shining from the metal about ten feet away. Quickly, I rise, limping with my bad knee, and race him for the gun. He lands close by to it, reaching for it by the time I get to him. I land on top of him, my hand covering his on the gun, trying to pry it away. “Motherfucker! Let go!” I say through gritted teeth. I finally manage to get it from him, but he knocks it out of my hand then pushes me over and starts pounding my face. Grabbing his arms, I push hard, out of breath, my body aching and still, I push him off of me and jump up. I start to hobble to the pond, thinking I’ll dive in and go after Alena, when he stops me.

  I freeze when I hear the click of the gun and turn around to face him. “Nice try, maggot. But like I said, this is the end of the line for you. Too bad it was for Alena as well. Guess I just became a millionaire. Oh, I’ll pretend to grieve, devastated at my loss and explain how you pulled a gun on her, then shot yourself. You see, you couldn’t take it that she is mine so you killed her and then in your remorse, you killed yourself. Happens all the time.”

  We’re both breathing heavy. My bad knee is about to buckle when the gun fires, and I fall back into the water. Water rushes over me; searing pain hits me in my side. I turn, keeping down deep in the water and make my way to the waterfall, but I don’t have time to take a big breath, so I’m hoping I can make it. I have to. I have to find Alena. Determination makes you do things, gets you through things that you didn’t think were ever possible, and it gives you strength you didn’t know you possessed. Sounds of water hitting hard is above me and makes me hopeful that I’m under the waterfall. The pain in my side and my knee is making it difficult to swim, but I keep going. My hand hits rock, and I come up for air. When I open my eyes, I find I’m on the other side of the waterfall, gasping for air. I look around and don’t find Alena, so I’m hoping she made it into the hidden cave. I try to look out through the rushing water to see if I can spot the asshole except I can’t see, which means he can’t see me either. Pain hits me hard every time I breathe. I need oxygen worse than the agony I’m feeling. After taking several more deep breaths, wincing each time, I take one last huge amount of air and go underwater, my left hand covering my side and my right feeling out in front of me while kicking my feet. Finally, I find the opening and push my way through. I just hope what I find on the other side is my Alena, well and safe.

  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

  I’m shaking so hard, out of coldness, fear and worry. He should be here by now. What if? No! I won’t think like that. I won’t. He can’t be. I shake my head, the pain in my arm excruciating but thank God, Jase thought of everything, as usual. It was hard to climb up on the wet and slippery rock ledge. It took me several times, but I finally made it. Once I got up here, I walked over to where the small area filled with water is and found all the supplies he’s been bringing here. It took me three bags to find the first aid kit, and then I sat down and winced in pain as I removed my shirt. I’m lucky that the bullet went clean through my upper arm, but I need to clean it out so it doesn’t get infected. Sitting in my wet jeans and bra, I grab the bottle of alcohol and open the cap. I don’t know how many deep breaths I took before I finally managed to pour some on the wound, pressing my mouth against my shoulder to muffle my cries. I’m worried about how much noise I make before anyone on the outside might be able to hear.

  Taking the bandage, I wrap it around several times and then tear off a piece of the medical tape to fasten it. I rummage through another bag and find one of Jase’s hoodies. I remove my wet bra and slip it over my head. The warmth encases me and I bring my shoulder up, smelling Jase all over. That should comfort me but until I see him swim in here, I’m terrified. Finally, I remove my wet jeans, socks and panties and take a pair of his sweatpants and pull them on. I look around the small area and see a partially flat rock across the way that’s dry and push myself up, grabbing all my wet clothes, taking them over and spreading them out to dry.

  I take a seat on the hard rock, close to where the water is and look up at the small opening above and know that the sun has lowered by the limited light in here and rub my hands over my arms in worry. “Please, come back to me, Jase.” The more time that passes, the more worried I become.

  I jump back, almost falling over, and gasp when someone shoots up from the water in front of me. Jase. I move over onto my knees and get as close to the edge as I can. “Jase! Jase! Over here!” His eyes are closed, and he coughs and gasps for air as I reach out my arm, my injured arm resting against my side, and I keep calling out his name. “Jase! Over here!”
Finally, his eyes open, his body shaking with cold. He wades over to the rock, and I reach down and over his shoulder, fisting his shirt and start pulling.

  “UHHH!” he yells out as he pushes himself up. He crawls until he’s mostly on the rock, his feet hanging over, and when he turns over I gasp. My hands instantly cup his face. His eye is swollen shut, angry red and purple marks all around it and a cut high on his cheek.

  “Oh, Jase,” I whisper.

  “I’m okay. I’m…. Ungh,” he winces as my hand slides down to his chest and near his side.

  “What? What?” I scream.

  His head raises, his eyes looking down, as he starts pulling up on his drenched shirt. He’s panting heavily and I gasp again, my hands covering my mouth, when he uncovers a bullet wound on his side. “Oh, no!” Quickly, I’m up and running over to the bags and grabbing the first aid kit. Then scrounging in another bag, I pull out a bottle, grab a bag with clothes, and run back to him, landing on my knees hard. As I remove the bandages and open a small box, I look up and see his head move down onto the rock. I stop and take out two shirts and a pair of sweatpants. I ball up one of the shirts, lean over and raise his head with one hand and put the shirt down as a pillow, then gently lay his head on it. I go back to getting things ready and glance at him. His face is pale. His eyes closed. “Jase.” His eyes open slowly and one corner of his mouth lifts. “Honey, I’m gonna have to try to remove the bullet. You’ve already lost a lot of blood.”

  “I’m so fucking glad you’re alive.” I stop, bandages in hand and tweezers in the other. “All this pain wouldn’t be worth it if you weren’t alive. Are you okay?” Biting my lip, I nod and watch his eyes go to my bandaged arm. “You’re hurt,” he chokes as he tries to sit up. I lean over, gently pushing him back down.

  “Don’t move, Jase. Please…. Please, don’t move.” Tears are forming as I look up to the small opening above us and know I don’t have much time because all of the daylight will be gone. I look back down and smile, although I know it’s not much of one. “I need to get that out of you before we lose the light. Here.” I open the bottle of Jack Daniels he brought, raise his head with my hand, and slowly pour some into his open mouth. “This will help a little but we don’t have anything to help with the pain.”

  He lays his head back down, coughing, and then gives me another smile. “There’s another bag with small rocks, twigs, paper and matches. Form a circle over by the water hole, make a fire. I’ll rest until you’re done then will help you get me over there.” Crap! He has thought of everything. I nod quickly, setting everything down and then getting up, running over to find the right bag. I find everything, placing the small rocks in a circle then filling it with twigs and paper. Lighting a match, it blows out instantly. I look up, the light almost gone and try again. Carefully, I cup my hand around it and move it into the twigs. As it starts to catch I blow on it gently, and it finally starts up. Closing my eyes, I breathe a sigh of relief.

  The sound of a moan makes my head snap to Jase. I stumble getting up, my body so sore and my arm hurting, but I get over to him, gathering up the first aid kit and everything I’d gotten out and take it over by the fire then look through more bags and find a blanket, laying it out near the fire but not too close. Walking over to Jase, I help him sit and put my arms around his waist from behind, careful of his hurt side, and he looks up at me. “I’m sorry. I’m sure this is gonna be so painful.”

  He laughs and then coughs. “Not as painful as you removing the bullet.”

  I’d laugh, but I can’t. I’m so scared. I do my best to help him up, but I don’t think I did that much. He winces all the way over, even as he lays back down. I run back over and grab the makeshift shirt pillow and bring it back, placing it under his head. Kneeling down beside him, I pick up the tweezers and lean over, holding them in the fire. I’ve never been much of a nurse. He always bandaged all my minor injuries over the years. I don’t mind the sight of blood but removing a bullet from a person, especially him? I’m not sure I can get through it. I don’t want to hurt him.

  “Help me get my belt off, Alena,” he says quietly. I set the tweezers down, now hot from the fire, on top of the first aid metal lid and help unbuckle his belt, pulling it through the loops as he tries to raise up allowing me to get it from his back side. I pull off his wet pants and boxers, and help him get the sweatpants on.

  I’m out of breath and notice his chest heaving when I pick the tweezers back up and just stare at him. My eyes widen when he reaches down, and his breathing becomes even heavier as he pulls on the skin on either side of the wound. “I trust you, Alena.” My eyes snap to his, and I press my lips together and nod slightly. “Don’t pay attention to anything but what you’re doing. It’s gonna hurt, not gonna lie, but don’t worry about that, okay? Just get it out. I might pass out but I’ll be fine. Dose it with the alcohol after you get it out. Okay?” I just nod again and raise my hand, the tweezers shaking in my grip, and my heart beats so fast I feel I might choke. “You’ve got this, Alena. I trust you with my life.” Crap! His life. What if I can’t get it out or what if it gets infected?

  I start to lean down and stop. Quickly, I get up and run over where he was before and grab the Jack Daniels bottle and then run back, kneeling once again. “Drink some of this first.”

  He raises up a bit and I pour some into his mouth. He swallows and gives me a smile. “Trying to get me drunk?” He tries to wiggle his eyebrows but only the one over his uninjured eye moves.

  “Yes, drink more.” I can’t help but smile a little and pour more into his mouth.

  “Don’t get me too drunk, darlin’, or I won’t be able to tell you if you hurt me too much,” he winks, but again it looks odd with his swollen eye closed. Fear shoots through me. What if I hurt him so badly I mar him or worse, kill him. My hand starts to shake again, and I feel like I’m gonna be sick. “I’m just kidding. Sorry, bad taste. You’ll be fine. Let’s do this.”

  I nod again and take a couple of deep breaths. I have to do this, for him. I close my eyes briefly, trying to calm down. My hand stops shaking, but inside I feel like I could hurl. Slowly, I push the tweezers into his skin. He hisses, and I dig deeper. I need to be careful, but I need to hurry and get this over with. Finally, I feel the hardness of the bullet but the tweezers keep sliding off around it. He groans and then presses harder on the skin around it. I grasp it, squeezing hard, and it starts sliding out. I get it out. His fingers relax and I smile, holding it up to inspect it. “I can’t believe I just did that.” I look at him, and my smile falls. He passed out.

  After pouring some alcohol over the wound, I strike a match and hold a needle from the small sewing kit over the flame. I take some thread and stitch the wound as best as I can and dress it with a bandage, and then sit back with my hands on the rough ground behind me. I wonder what happened after I dove into the water. Is Bill still alive? God, I hope not. I’ve never wished anything bad on anyone before but after all he’s done, I hope he’s dead. He tried to kill both of us. I look down at Jase. His face is so pale. The one side of his face is so swollen and cut. I grab the alcohol and cotton and move to the other side of him, clean the cut on his face, then put a small butterfly bandage on it. I hobble over to all the bags and sit down, going through each one and organizing all our things. Who knows how long we’ll be here until we are found or can manage to leave? I find another blanket and take it over to Jase and spread it out over him, tucking in the sides around him.

  After going through all the bags, I place all the food on small flat rocks to the left of the little water stream, then the first aid kit on a lower one. They are perfect and look like little shelves. I place the bag of twigs, the paper and the matches across from the fire next to the makeshift shelves as well as the bag of clothes. Jase had told me the small water stream should be clean enough to drink so we are good with water, but I found a couple of water bottles and put them wi
th the food.

  My body protests in pain and exhaustion so I leave the rest of the contents in the remaining bags for later, grab another blanket, and walk over to Jase, laying down on his right side. I cover up as best as I can, throwing some of my blanket on top of him, and bury my hurt arm underneath the blanket and across his waist, careful of his wound. He feels cool, so I snuggle closer and lay my head on his chest and stare at the fire. So much has happened, my mind is racing. When the bullet hit me, I thought I was gonna faint but all I could think about was Jase. All I could think about was getting to the waterfall and to our hidden cave, hoping, praying that Jase would make it here too. God, I was so scared, petrified. I knew Bill was abusive, and he was after my money, but I had no idea he would go to this length to get it. I should have known. My stomach is queasy thinking about everything, so I close my eyes, hoping sleep will take me.

  “Run. Alena.”

  Jase. His voice seems weird, but I’m so tired I can’t open my eyes.

  “No. Alena.”

  I stir, tightening my arm around a warm body. So tired.

  “I can’t…. Get to you.”

  Warmth. Fire. So hot. My eyes snap open, and I look up at Jase’s face. I bolt up and place my hand on his forehead. Shit! He’s burning up. He moans at my touch. “Alena. Run.” I throw the blanket off me and run over to the rock shelves, grabbing the first aid kit and drop it in my haste. The top opens and things spill out.

  “Shit!” I bend down, picking up the contents from the ground and find the aspirin. My hands shake as I try to get the lid off. “Dammit!” Finally, I pop it off and take out a couple, putting the lid back on, grab a bottled water, and run back over to him.

  “Uh, Alena,” he groans.